LOS ANGELES (AP) – A California appeals court on Friday disqualified a private judge appointed by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in their divorce case, giving Jolie a huge win.
The 2nd District Court of Appeals agreed with Jolie that Judge John Ouderkirk had failed to adequately disclose business relationships with Pitt’s attorneys.
The decision means the nearing end of the custody battle over the couple’s five underage children could start all over again.
The judge has already ruled the couple is divorced, but separated the custody issues.
Like many celebrity couples, Pitt and Jolie hired a private judge to increase their privacy in the divorce process.
In May, Ouderkirk declined to hear evidence Jolie said is relevant to her children’s safety, the Associated Press reported.
In August last year, Ouderkirk declined to disqualify himself when Jolie told him to do so on a file, the AP reported.
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